Rebekah H. (bebekah) reviewed Heaven: An Illustrated History of the Higher Realms on + 3 more book reviews
Timothy Freke explores the seemingly countless interpretations and beliefs of the world's cultures regarding the afterlife. From Valhalla to the Elysian Fields, Freke captures the imagination with descriptions and explanations of the paradises awaiting the dead. Sidebar quotes from texts such as Dante's Paridoso and the Egyptian Book of the Dead give clearer insights into Freke's work, and classic illustrations from Hieronymus Bosch, Frencesco Botticin make Heaven as much a wonder to look at as it is to read. Also highly recommended is the companion book Hell: An Illustrated History Of The Netherworld by Richard Craze surveying horrific netherworld fiends, landscapes and tortures from the Greek abyss of Tartarus to the Hindu's belief that life itself is hell.
